Read articles from Asia
July 21, 2023 by indiatimes.com
Health Ministry asks states to report violations of e-cigarette ban on its portal
The Centre has asked states to report on its portal information on the availability of e-cigarettes on online shopping sites and retail shops despite a ban on it since 2019. The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act (PECA) came into force in 2019. There seems to be a lack of awareness about the portal which was launched in May, an official source said, [...]
July 18, 2023 by galencentre.org
‘CBD’ Vapes Mushroom On Malaysian Facebook And Telegram
Advertising and sale of vape liquids, supposedly with cannabidiol (CBD), proliferate in Malaysian groups on Facebook and Telegram, even though cannabis derivatives are illegal under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. The widespread online distribution of e-liquids with so-called “CBD” – a marijuana compound that does not cause a high – complicates efforts by police authorities to crack down on adulterated e-cigarettes, especially after the federal health regulator, the Ministry of Health (MOH), removed liquid nicotine from control under the Poisons Act 1952.
July 18, 2023 by dhakatribune.com
Experts for quick ban on e-cigarettes to prevent catastrophes
The Cabinet is likely to approve the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2013 this month, which proposes a complete ban on the manufacturing, import and sale of e-cigarettes, with a provision of imprisonment of a maximum of six months, a fine or both. Later, it will be placed in Parliament for passage into law. The prime minister has already instructed the Health Ministry to amend the law, to make it more in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and compatible with the vision of building a tobacco-free country by 2040.
December 19, 2022 by filtermag.org
Pakistan Nicotine-Pouch Surge Brings Harm Reduction Hope in South Asia
Globally, almost a third of tobacco consumers use oral products. Smokeless tobacco (SLT) is generally safer than combustibles. But traditional forms popular in South Asia pack a deadly punch, leading to more than 570,000 annual deaths. Despite these products causing 88 percent of SLT-related mortality, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its allies continue to club them alongside much safer SLT options under the risk-blind “all tobacco is bad” paradigm. This funnels interventions into (...)
September 21, 2022 by regulatorwatch.com
Collective Focus | How Asia Pacific Advocates Fight for Safer Nicotine | RegWatch on GFN.TV (Rewind)
THR advocates in Asia Pacific find compromise and push back in the battle for safer nicotine products. [...] Nancy Loucas, Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocate, CAPHRA, Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates
May 04, 2021 by ft.lk
Tobacco Harm Reduction in Asia blocked by health agencies and anti-tobacco lobby groups
The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) issued its latest report ‘A Burning Issue for Asia and the Far East’ recently, which found that health agencies like the WHO together with anti-lobby groups such as Bloomberg Philanthropies exert tremendous pressure on governments to make it difficult to promote Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) as a public health strategy. This results in policies that are more restrictive than regulation for traditional cigarettes, and discourage smokers from switching from combustible cigarettes to less harmful alternatives, it adds.
April 21, 2021 by snusforumet.se
Harm reduction key to solving Asia tobacco crisis: report
Wider adoption of harm reduction strategies could help solve the Asia tobacco crisis, bringing important public health gains to a region with 60 percent of the world’s smokers and 4 million smoking related deaths per year.
However, not enough governments in the region have fully embraced policies that allow smokers easier access to safer nicotine products (SNP) such as snus or e-cigarettes.
“By making it difficult, if not impossible, for current adult smokers to access SNP, governments are illegitimately interfering with an individual’s right to health,” reads the latest report on the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR).
March 05, 2021 by prnewswire.com
Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates Says WHO Recommended Ban on Vaping Will Only Create More Smokers
Millions of vapers across Asia could feel forced to return to smoking if a proposal from the World Health Organization (WHO) way on e-cigarettes and other smokeless products is passed by lawmakers. "The latest recommendation from WHO defies all logic," said Nancy Loucas, the Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA. "If countries adopt the recommendation to ban open-system vapes, years of hard work by ex-smokers as well as good public policy will be rendered meaningless." "Let there be no doubt: vapers will then go back to cigarettes, which is the worst possible outcome."
February 25, 2021 by youtube.com
The Advocates Voice - Episode 4
The Advocates Voice covers issues in Asia Pacific (and the world) relative to Consumers and Tobacco Harm Reduction.
September 20, 2018 by harbourtimes.com
Poll: The people want alternative
Unlike other countries, Hong Kong is still indecisive about its approach to alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn-products. The government is still mulling over either a comprehensive ban or specific regulations on these products.
Hong Kong-based consumer advocate factasia.org is urging the government to regulate and allow the sale of alternative tobacco products, claiming consumers have the right to choose what they buy and use.